The Minimalist strengthens its Interaction Design business unit with two new appointments

Design and digital company, The Minimalist, has appointed Rohan Saraf, as Head of Interaction Design and Amit Rajapurkar as Lead, User Interface. The appointments reinforce the company’s decision to strengthen its leadership with a focus on its Interaction Design business unit. The
company is looking to expand its presence globally.

Saraf will overlook the Interaction Design business unit and also lead User Experience projects within the SBU. Saraf is a certified usability analyst and a graduate in Product Design from MIT Institute of Design, Pune. He has worked extensively on user experience assignments for HDFC Bank, Future Group, Standard Bank (South Africa), and Sunlife Insurance, Philippines. Rajapurkar brings over 18 years of experience; he will lead the operations and design for UI. In his previous roles, he was responsible for designing UI for leading companies like Axis Bank, Maruti, Hungama, IRCTC and Microsoft. Prior to joining The Minimalist, Rajapurkar was associated with Fractal Ink.

Speaking on the appointments, Sahil Vaidya, Co-Founder, The Minimalist said, “We are excited and welcome both Rohan and Amit to The Minimalist. Over the past year, The Minimalist has successfully acquired a wide range of clients across the globe for all three business units. With an increasing level of digitalisation and product focus in the Indian business ecosystem, there is an immediate need for high quality and experienced product design services. Both, Rohan and Amit bring very rich sector specific experience and this will definitely amplify our ability of delivering intelligent products that provide seamless and unique experiences. Most importantly Rohan and Amit share our vision of delivering sterling quality digital products and experiences. In a bid to become the most sought-after player in this space and with the addition of Rohan and Amit, we are sure we are on the right path.”

Speaking about his new role, Saraf said, "I am excited on my new role and to be a part of a team that is diverse and dynamic. The company has a unique energy and the environment is conducive for design thinking to grow on a larger level. We are focused on strengthening our foothold for Interaction Design services and will continue to invest our energies here. I am excited on this new journey and look forward to solving problems strategically with simple design solutions.”

Rajapurkar added, "The Minimalist is a young organization overflowing with creativity and fresh ideas. The culture is encouraging and allows one to be vocal about their thoughts and ideas which makes it easy for teams to work with a central objective thus achieving stellar success. The UI/UX domain has been growing rapidly with brands learning the importance of product usability. I look forward to delving deeper into this market, contributing towards the growth of the organization and working towards achieving our larger goals.”

Tamara Ingram, Global CEO, J. Walter Thompson said, “Tarun’s new title accurately reflects his responsibilities. He oversees multiple countries with full-service agencies and digital companies including specialised divisions such as Shopper, Rural, Events, Design, Production and Social. Over the last three years, Tarun has ensured that all of these companies and divisions are integrated seamlessly to deliver the best communication solutions to our clients.”

Commenting on the news, Tarun Rai, Chairman & Group CEO, J Walter Thompson South Asia said, “Our clients are increasingly asking for integrating their brand communication across various touch points and platforms. What puts the JWT group at an advantage is that we have many specialised companies and divisions in the group but a single P&L. This makes us platform agnostic and allows us to focus on only the client and brand communication needs. I am lucky to have extremely talented and capable leaders of our various group companies, divisions and functions.”

Tejkaran Singh Bajaj, Head - Original Content, ZEE5 has quit the orginasation, confirm industry sources. Bajaj worked with the OTT paltform for more than a year. We have dropped a message to ZEE5 who didn’t respond at the time of filing the story.

At ZEE5, he created a 20-member creative and production team across six languages (Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali) and mentored them to develop, execute and market premium original content including big-budget shows like 'Karenjit Kaur,' 'Lockdown', 'Life Sahi Hai 2' among others for digital.

Prior to this he was with Maxus for four years where he held multiple positions. He served as the Senior Creative Director (West & South) from ’15 to ’17 and Creative Director (West) from ’13 to ’15.

Prior to this he has worked at Miditech, NDTV and Aquarius Productions.

Makani Creatives has acquired the creative mandate for Pepe Jeans Londons' innerwear launch in India amidst a multi-agency pitch. The brand has, for the first time, appointed an Indian agency for its creative duties for their upcoming campaign, including ads, packaging and catalogs.

Talking about the win, Sameer Makani, CMD of Makani Creatives, said, “Pepe Jeans London has coloured the streets blue with its denims for the last two decades. Now it is ready to offer more –and we are thrilled to be the first Indian agency to conceptualize and package the launch of their innerwear category in India. Watch out for the campaign!”

Suresh Nambiar, CEO, Pepe Jeans Innerfashion, said, “Fashion & comfort is at the core of the Pepe Jeans DNA. Extending our casual wear expertise in the innerwear category is only a natural progression for the brand and we feel that with this initiative, the brand connect (with the consumer) will only get stronger. We are happy to have partnered with the creative mavericks of Makani for the launch of our new category.”

Digital marketing agency Social Kinnect has announced the appointment of Bharat Suri as Vice President of Operations.

Suri is a key hire at this stage of Social Kinnect’s expansion, the agency said in a statement. As the head of operations, he will drive optimised, technology-fuelled efficiency and further growth for Social Kinnect.

Having formerly worked with giants such as LinkedIn in India and BuzzLogic, Adify Corporation and Red McCombs Media in San Francisco, Suri has over 15 years of experience across online media, e-commerce, social media, mobile, programmatic and technology. His consultative approach to people management and problem solving make him the right fit for this role, the agency said. Suri will be working closely with Chandni Shah, Co-founder and COO of Social Kinnect.

Commenting on Bharat’s appointment, Shah said, “Social Kinnect is currently experiencing an extreme growth phase. We are confident that Bharat’s immense experience and expertise in people management, process creation and technology adoption will help us operate at the level of any world-class organisation. We are excited to have him on board and wish him a long and successful stint at Social Kinnect. ”

Discussing his new role, Suri said, “I am really excited to be one of the young and dynamic Kinnectors! I have been following the excellent work done by the agency across various domains and industry verticals. One meeting with Rohan and Chandni, and I felt aligned with their vision for the company. The growth trajectory that the company has charted for itself is exceptional and I am delighted help take this story to new heights.”

Hospitality start-up OYO Hotels has appointed former IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for India and South Asia market. The appointment will reportedly come into effect from December 1, 2018. He will be reporting to Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of OYO Ritesh Agarwal.

Ghosh is credited with turning IndiGo into one of the largest and the most profitable airline in India. He stepped down in July this year.

On Ghosh’s appointment, media reports quoted Agarwal as saying, “His business acumen, his problem-solving capabilities, and his customer-centric approach to innovation that helped him build an influential brand that is loved by all and makes him an excellent choice for OYO Hotels.”

Ghosh reportedly said, “What excites me the most about OYO Hotels is the company’s single-minded focus to deliver value to customers and asset owners. To achieve that we need to continue to foster a culture that attracts the best and brightest minds, and I am very proud to have been given a chance to partner in this effort.”

After a competitive multi-agency pitch, Hill+Knowlton Strategies has been awarded the communications mandate for the country’s leading infotainment player – Discovery Communications India and its portfolio of channels in India including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Discovery HD World, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Kids, Discovery JEET, Animal Planet HD World, TLC HD World and Discovery Tamil. The appointment will see Hill+Knowlton Strategies rollout strategic communications solutions for the network’s channels to drive greater engagement with viewers across India.

Confirming the appointment, Sameer Bajaj, Director, Corporate Communications & External Affairs, Discovery Communications India, said, “We are delighted to partner with Hill+Knowlton Strategies, India as our strategic communications partner to deliver our vision as a brand, better engage with viewers and drive our narrative in a more compelling manner. Their strong experience in media & entertainment, in-depth understanding of our market requirements and passion gave us the confidence to award them this mandate. I believe, together as a team, we will further strengthen the Discovery brand in India.”

Commenting on the win, Kavita Rao, President & CEO, India, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, said, “We are thrilled that Discovery Communications has chosen us to partner them in managing their strategic communications of their corporate brand as well strong portfolio of brands in the country. With committed teams and our in-depth domain knowledge and experience across sectors, H+K India is well positioned to drive the desired impact and outcome for Discovery Communications India.”

Continuing with the transformation journey as Raymond Reimagined, Raymond Apparel Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Raymond Limited has appointed Nirvik Singh as the Non - Executive Chairman and has inducted Anshu Sarin and Gautam Trivedi as new board members.

Demonstrating the spirit of good governance and ensuring the business is being run professionally, Gautam Hari Singhania has stepped down from the position of the Chairman and paved way for Nirvik Singh to take charge as the Non - Executive Chairman of Raymond Apparel Limited. However, Gautam Hari Singhania continues to be on the board of Raymond Apparel Limited. Anshu Sarin has joined the Board as a Non-executive Director along with Gautam Trivedi who has joined the Board as an Independent Director.

Operating in the space of branded apparel, Raymond Apparel Limited continues to grow its market share and offer the full wardrobe solution to the discerning consumer with its ready to wear power brands such as Park Avenue, Color Plus, Parx and Raymond Ready to Wear. With a focus on product innovations and go to market strategy, Raymond Apparel Limited will utilize the immense experience and relevant skill sets of the new members on the board.

Commenting on the appointments, Gautam Hari Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, Raymond Limited said; “I have always believed in setting the highest standard of governance and have always advocated running the business professionally. I am delighted that Nirvik Singh has been appointed as the Non - Executive Chairman of Raymond Apparel Limited and I am sure that the company will benefit tremendously under his able leadership. I also welcome Anshu Sarin and Gautam Trivedi as new board members of Raymond Apparel Limited.”

Raymond Apparel Limited continues to expand its retail footprint with a high focus on MBO channel penetration, enhancing in-house retail experience and omnichannel growth strategy along with strengthening the consumer engagement programmes across platforms.

Having registered the growth of 15% during the last quarter over the previous year, Raymond Apparel Limited is poised to achieve a strong growth with the infusion of industry veterans in the forthcoming quarters. Nirvik is a 27-year marketing and communication industry veteran and is currently the Chairman & CEO, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa of Grey Group Asia Pacific. He began his career with Lipton India, a Unilever company and became the head of Grey Group India at the age of 33.

He has received the Bharat Nirman Rattan Award for outstanding individual achievements and distinguished services to India by the National Integration and Economic Council, among many other honors. Nirvik joined the Board of Raymond Apparel Limited in July 2011 and has since remained as an Independent Director on the Board.

Anshu is the Chief Executive Officer of Berggruen Hotels and plays a central role in growing and expanding the Keys Hotels business across India. Anshu is a qualified Hotel Management graduate from IHM Pusa and holds an EMBA degree from S.P Jain Institute. She has previously worked with the Taj Group of Hotels and Kingfisher Airlines, in a career spanning nearly two decades.

Gautam Trivedi is the Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Nepean Capital. Gautam has over 26 years of experience in the Indian and Asian financial industry. He was the CEO of Religare Capital Markets, one of India’s leading Mid & Small Cap focused Investment Banks.

Prior to that, he was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs having worked in their Hong Kong and Mumbai offices. Gautam has also worked at Reliance Industries Ltd., Jardine Fleming (Asia), CLSA and DSP Merrill Lynch. He has an MBA from the University of Southern California (USC) and is an Aspen Institute fellow.

His resignation has been accepted by the company but he has been reportedly asked to continue till March 31, 2019. Dasari will be suceeded by Dheeraj Hinduja who will take over as Executive Chairman with immediate effect.

“After completing 14 years with the company, Vinod K Dasari has decided to pursue his personal interests and seek new learning,” Media reports quoted the company as stating.

Reports also quoted Dheeraj Hinduja as saying, "I would like to place on record the contribution of Dasari in making Ashok Leyland a formidable force in the industry. He along with his leadership team steered the company to ensure significant all-round performance. We wish Dasari the very best in his future endeavors".

Dasari, meanwhile, has reportedly said that his decision to leave is purely personal as he wishes to pursue his personal interests.

Dasari has been the Managing Director of Ashok Leyland Limited since April 2011. He was promoted as Chief Executive Officer in April 2016.

Sébastien Desclée, Chief Executive Officer of FuelContent, the newest content production arm of FCB Global Network, on Wednesday announced its expansion into India. With offices pan India-- Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi and Kolkata--, this new venture builds upon FuelContent’s existing hubs in Canada (Fuel Canada) and South Africa (Fuel SAF).

Talking about the venture, Desclée said, “Since its inception in 2016, FuelContent has been steadily gaining momentum to become a robust global network. This latest addition in India is the next piece in the puzzle, providing a rich market in which to tell ‘Never Finished’ stories to new audiences.”

“Forging a larger FuelContent network adds value to our clients’ businesses and provides the opportunity for us to strengthen our offerings in Asia and continue to grow our global footprint,” Desclée added.

Desclée took the helm at FuelContent earlier this year after spending four years at FCB International, where he served as President. After launching FuelContent in key markets, Desclée sought to expand the network further, in order to deliver both for existing clients looking to extend their partnership in new markets and for new clients in need of content production solutions.

Fuel India will be led by Debarpita Banerjee, President North and East, FCB Ulka, and the India operation will offer content creation solutions in an end-to-end format.

“Fuel India will integrate key FCB tools like Brand Bedrock and align core brand strategy to content strategy, to create Never Finished content platforms. And since content creation is always a collaborative, Fuel India will also work closely with a network of individual content creators and different digital platforms to optimize content visibility and management,” Banerjee said.

Carter Murray, FCB Worldwide CEO, said, “In our fast-paced modern world, content has become one of the most powerful forms of communication. Growing FuelContent – FCB’s branch at the forefront of brand storytelling – provides increased connectivity and allows us to stay ahead of the curve. I am very excited about the potential this expansion brings.”

Flipkart's Co-founder & Group CEO Binny Bansal has resigned from the company with immediate effect following an internal investigation conducted by Flipkart and its parent firm Walmart into an allegation of “serious personal misconduct.” Though the company has not provided any detail about the nature of the allegation, some media reports suggest that it pertains to sexual misconduct.

Bansal (37) has, however, strongly denied the allegations, Walmart has said in a statement issued on Tuesday, according to media reports.

The statement reportedly read, "Earlier today, Binny Bansal announced his resignation as CEO of Flipkart Group, effective immediately. Binny has been an important part of Flipkart since co-founding the company, but recent events risked becoming a distraction and Binny has made a decision to step down.”

“His decision follows an independent investigation done on behalf of Flipkart and Walmart into an allegation of serious personal misconduct. He strongly denies the allegation. Nevertheless, we had a responsibility to ensure the investigation was deliberate and thorough. While the investigation did not find evidence to corroborate the complainant’s assertions against Binny, it did reveal other lapses in judgement, particularly a lack of transparency, related to how Binny responded to the situation. Because of this, we have accepted his decision to resign,” the statement added.

The statement further read, “Binny has been contemplating a transition for some time and we have been working together on a succession plan, which has now been accelerated. Going forward, Kalyan Krishnamurthy will continue to be CEO of Flipkart, which will now include Myntra and Jabong, continuing to operate as separate platforms within the Flipkart business. Ananth Narayanan will continue providing great leadership as CEO of Myntra and Jabong, and will report into Kalyan. Sameer Nigam will continue leading PhonePe as CEO. Both Kalyan and Sameer will report directly into the board."

Bansal had stayed on at Flipkart while his other co-founder Sachin Bansal left the company after Walmart acquired majority ownership in the online retailer earlier this year.